Conventional seals are often used in industry to prevent infiltration of a fluid into a device or structure or to prevent a fluid from leaking out of the device or structure. In some instances, conventional seals fabricated from rubber, resin or other resilient material commonly employed for seals are used to prevent moisture from entering into an electrical connector device. Such seals are typically referred to as “matte seals”. A matte seal prevents fluid such as water or moisture from entering into the electrical connector device in order to prevent corrosion of the mated male and female electrical terminals crimped to respective end portions of electrical wire. The matte seal is disposed between an internal surface of the electrical connector and an outer surface of the wire connected to respective ones of the male or female terminals. More specifically, the matte seal makes sealing contact with the internal surface of the electrical connector device as well as with the outer surface of the wire thereby preventing infiltration of water and/or moisture into the electrical connector device.
A conventional matte seal has a through hole extending therethrough that receives the male or female electrical terminal during assembly. Typically, the terminal (whether male or female) is larger than the through hole of the conventional matte seal. Thus, when the terminal is threaded through the through hole of the conventional matte seal during assembly, damage sometimes occurs to the matte seal. In turn, the sealing capability of the damaged matte seal is reduced.
It would be beneficial to provide a matte seal designed to more readily receive a male or female electrical terminal during assembly that could prevent or inhibit damage to the matte seal thereby retaining or substantially retaining its sealing capability. The present invention provides this benefit.